The Law: Year 2076
Public executions were always something I avoided. Still, when a group of kids from my college were scheduled to die on 2076 New Year’s Day, I was expected to go.…[...]
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april and other unfinished things
Jude has known since he was six that he’d never have a future.Sometimes, in the quiet of the night, his parents sit him down at the table like he's a…[...]
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A Villain Is a Hero In Their Own Story
- Chapter 1I made it into the Manchester Storm academy. I waited so long, and now, at the age of nine, I am fully able to say I am a…[...]
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where the fires burns
DESTINED ENCOUNTER Michelle's glasses were steamed up from her coffee cup, which she had carelessly placed too close to her face. The cozy café buzzed with the soft chatter of…[...]
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The Midway
Tomasina Bach was lost. Not literally. She was taking the same route from the parking lot to her job at her uncle’s arcade and carousel in the rundown lakeside midway…[...]
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Best Of Both Worlds
When Sasha was a kid, she had of course undergone the fascination with wolves that seems to be a staple of all childhoods. From fairy tales to books on biology…[...]
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I Was Here
thump… thump… thump…That is where I begin.My heartbeat.Small. Fast. Certain.I didn’t know the words yet, but if I did, I think it would be called living.It is the first thing…[...]
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The Girl Who Refused to be Rewritten
The moment the author opened the screen, the world inside it shook. Not metaphorically, not symbolically, it literally shook like an earthquake inside the screen, beyond the author’s sight or…[...]
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The Promise I Made
I remember the day Maria’s heartbeat drummed against my ear as we huddled together in our prison. Our frail bodies shivered in the thin clothes the bad men gave us.…[...]
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Extraordinary
I don’t cry at my grandfather’s funeral.Everyone else does. Even Mother and Father, who insist we always control our emotions. All of their rich friends shed tears while they tell…[...]
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A Mother Knows
When I try to sleep, I hear a marching in my ears. Since I was little, I imagined cartoon red-coated soldiers, wearing those tall black hats, lockstepping in a never-ending…[...]
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The Lordal
The Thing at the Edge of the Yard. The car accident happened on a rainy Tuesday in October. Milo was eight years old. One moment, his parents were singing along…[...]
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Understanding
Feet brushing the grass, I made my way through the forest. My eyes traveled the tall trunk to find the treehouse’s living room lights still aglow, burning warm against the…[...]
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Wastelands
“How many more hours do you have left?” This was the only question that was able to come out of Katie Levine’s mouth. There was more she wanted to say…[...]
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Sunshine or Snacks?
Today is April 31st. In the top bunk, Nadia lies on her stomach, trying to double check her math homework. The barrage of noises from underwater penetrate her headset’s white…[...]
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I’m Still Here
It's been days.I've been trapped down here for days.Maybe it's been weeks... I don't know. There is no concept of time down here.I've realized as time went on that nobody…[...]
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The Third Fracture
Intention skitters across lacy tendrils of light. Silken threads dipped in moonlight coalesce into a not-quite-there silhouette of a too-tall man. The somnira takes shape as it drops into the…[...]
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Worst Of Both Worlds
Romulus hated the rain.He didn’t mildly dislike the concept. He didn’t detest it in the moment, and when the weather shifted forgot all about those feelings. He didn’t play it…[...]
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The Blood That Bore Him
Atreus Theoros knew he was a monster. He had been running from it since 20 years old. When the accident happened, he left his hometown that same night, and never…[...]
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Gone With Thy Wig
Theo James survived. Unfortunately…my wig didn’t. I had been standing—barely–wobbling on a step stool in our Borrowers-sized living room, trying to decorate our “Christmas tree” for the last twenty minutes.…[...]
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Left behind?
“Please explain to me why we are going to check out this disaster.” Hands on hips, she heard the murmurs of agreement behind her from the 4 other explorers. “Because…[...]
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Meet Me at the Lake
TW: mild transphobia I lay on my back gazing at the stars, dreaming about how comforting it must be to never move. Every night, they come alive standing in the…[...]
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Guardapalabras
Before last night, I was nobody in particular. I mean that literally. Our apartment has bare walls where other families hang portraits. No photo albums. No letters from the old…[...]
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At thirteen I defeated the weight of silence in Rome and took to the streets
They attacked me with a brass knuckle, and I am only thirteen years old. I have always lived in Rome; I am a volunteer of the Youth for Peace who…[...]
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My Mistake
Had I known that I was about to have my own personal Oppenheimer moment and to have the means to destroy the world, I would have kept my glasses on!But…[...]
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Elusive Repairs
Theo searched the wall of ‘MISSING’ faces until he saw the one he was looking for. He glanced around the small corner store for prying eyes, grasped the bottom corners…[...]
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I Can Explain!
“Right, just keep on driving. Don’t mind the flaring lights and the man screaming into the cone,” the cop yelled through the megaphone. My eyes flick to my rear-view mirror…[...]
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Why Didn’t I?
Author's Note: In this story there are themes of abuse, much cursing, and traumatic experiences. Please read with caution before going on with this story. Thank you.“I should’ve known.” Four…[...]
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With Hardship Comes Ease
“Lora! Breakfast!” Lora’s mother called out.Lora rolled over sleepily and put a pillow over her head, drowning out the birds’ cheerful chirping. The light faded to a dim glow, and…[...]
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An Open Letter to My College’s Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS)
An Open Letter to my College’s Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS)Dear TAPS, I hope this letter finds you. I do not care if it finds you well, or finds you…[...]
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The Script
The Script I’m on the phone talking with Phil, our recently recruited special effects wizard from over at CMT, Inc., (Well, wizard might be a little strong since he’s only…[...]
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Frustration
Include the line ‘I don’t understand’, or ‘I should’ve known’, in your story. IGNORANCE IS BLISS(“No it’s not, it ‘sucks”!) When I was a young kid(“not a baby goat”!), my…[...]
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Cosmic Roads – Back Road I – Sideways Saturday
Warning: references to past violence, psychological abuse, and trauma-induced underage chain-smoking "I said I want my truck running by 3PM!" the disheveled customer in a rumpled jacket and faded bluejeans…[...]
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A Spark of Hope
Sometimes people aren’t as good at things as others. It is important to be able to accept that you are not as good at something and be willing to improve.…[...]
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My Dad the Triad Boss
“Kai Jie, what does your dad do?” That’s the question my English teacher gave me during Show and Tell in Primary school. The thing is, I didn’t really know or…[...]
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Are You Happy?
I recently volunteered for the second time as the coordinator of the Chaska River City Days Annual Photo Contest. The tasks were labor intensive, involving all the contest submissions, required…[...]
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It was my Fault
If I was the victim from the beginning I should have known. I wish I knew where I lost it. It's like I thought I knew myself but didn't. I…[...]
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The Queen of Victoria Avenue
I didn’t tell my mom I was adopting a dog, because when she was six, a dog bit her, and she’s been deathly afraid ever since. I don’t really like…[...]
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Tick, Tick, Tick
The handcuffs were brittle, flimsy steel links connecting Marcus’ wrists. It would take little effort to just pull them apart and snap the frail metal chain. He didn’t. White painted…[...]
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Hear Us Out At Least
Kai pushed the door open with his shoulder, keys in one hand, phone barely holding a charge in the other, already thinking about collapsing onto his bed. Instead, he heard…[...]
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The Tight Spot
"Oi! Back off, will ya?!” I hiss, tightening my hold on the loaf of bread beneath my cloak. One hand presses the loaf closer; the other raises at the intruder's…[...]
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Unspoken silence
Mara kept the blanket folded at the end of her bed, the edge lined up perfectly with the seam of the mattress. The pillows were stacked in the same order…[...]
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Lou (Part 2)
Against his will, Lou was forced by his parents into the museum of his past and current feelings—a place located below his chin, and above his crotch. A place where…[...]
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You Do Not Know Me
You cannot see me. Some do not know I am here. Some fear me. Some wish to embrace me. But I am here, waiting. Until I have to come. Until…[...]
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The Bottle
Lester Holt was deep in thought as he walked along the beach. The tide was low and he enjoyed the feel of wet sand between his toes. He had the…[...]
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My personal nightlight
A phone call wakes you out of your stupor. The caller was June, your shy but well-meaning friend. Though it was late in the evening, you wondered why she’s calling…[...]
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When Fear Becomes Form
Submitted by: LA Smith4/24/26 When Fear Becomes Form Her office smelled like something I couldn’t name. Sweet, but not candy. It floated around my nose, sometimes stronger, always nice. I…[...]
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Angela’s Block
Angela twirled a pencil in her long fingers, eyes fixed on the window. As she stared, a tree swayed gently with the breeze, its small green buds drawing attention after…[...]
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Chance Loveless’s Opportunity For Redemption
CW: terrorism, torture, animal cruelty Chance Loveless's Opportunity For RedemptionBy Steven Rider Chance "The Ghost" Loveless, as he liked to think of himself, was born with all the promise of…[...]
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The Synesthete’s Diner
Marnie woke at 5:47 AM and tasted the dusty mauve of her bedroom curtains—sour, mineral, like old pennies soaked in grape juice. She made a mental note to wash them,…[...]
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The Color of Her Name
About 4% of the population, including me, have a superpower called grapheme-color synesthesia. No, it’s nothing dangerous. Just a neurological condition where overlaps in my neural pathways cause me to…[...]
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That Boring Beige
Dear Bella,I remembered that day, exactly eight years after your death. The day I was standing at the edge of the bridge after my suicide attempt, cutting my wrist in…[...]
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The Sword of Saint Absolutely-Not
Osmond Young stood at the edge of the forest and wished, very sincerely, that he were somewhere else. The Whispering Wood stretched out before him in a dense wall of…[...]
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Green With Envy: The Turning of a Friendship
“Grover?” I asked, looking at my friend and noticing how content he looked lounging from under our favorite willow, his arms crossed behind his head.“You know I hate that nickname,…[...]
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The Moment Before It Ended
Disclaimer: This story contains sensitive topics involving issues from mental health, physical harm, suicide, substance use, and divorce.The moment before it ended. That’s what it was, and everything brought me…[...]
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Accessory To A Summer Camp Crime
At Camp Rainbow, it's all fun and games until it comes to friendship bracelets, then it’s war. I didn’t plan to be her accomplice; I was just a summer camp…[...]
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Signals in the Noise
Looking at the sky has always meant facing uncertainty. It stretches beyond what you can fully see or predict, vast and indifferent to whether you understand it. At times it…[...]
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The Tale of Pipkin’s Sparkle
My name is Pipkin and I am currently pinned beneath a blueberry.To you, a blueberry is a snack. To me, it is a five-ton sphere of indigo doom that smells…[...]
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veil of zen
As the first rays of dawn kissed the cobblestone streets of a quaint village in Yorkshire, everything changed one fateful night. The sky lit up with a brilliant flash, casting…[...]
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Beyond the Glass
A little boy with brown hair and freckles taps on the glass. "Mommy, look! A purple fish!" "That's not a fish, sweetheart," the mother says, leaning towards the glass. "That's…[...]
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Stone Gray for Blood Red
TW: Blood, blood consumption (vampirism) (not sure if this counts as gore) The sun was visible, glinting off of the snow as Commander Pyrope entered the palace. It stung his…[...]
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How Long Is Forever?
"How far away are the stars?" Daphne gazed into the dark sky and wondered aloud. It was a perfectly clear night in August, two weeks left of summer vacation. Her…[...]
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a universe of accidents
It takes Tim four tries to find a universe with a sky that looks like his own.There’s nothing particularly unique about this universe. It looks the way everything has looked…[...]
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Archive of the Quiet
Nova had seen the planet answer in many ways. It had warmed the moss beneath her palms when she was afraid. It had raised stone ridges where she needed footholds.…[...]
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Second Chance
Trigger Warning: Mentions of neglect, substance abuse, abuse and abandonmentAsh was your regular college school student, he had decent grades, he had a few friends and as well had a…[...]
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What we Buried
Logically Monica knows that betraying her family is wrong, but what her father has gotten away with for the past couple decades...it's was time for it to come to a…[...]
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Constellations Between Us
“I remember,” the voicemail whispered. Nova Carter sat frozen on the edge of her bed as those two words filled the tiny apartment bedroom she shared with her little brother.…[...]
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Strange Fruit
Strange Fruit By Kailey Blount A tiny pot of water we can’t afford boils on the stove and steam puffs up in spits and sputters. I lean into the mist,…[...]
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Our 30th Anniversary
15th April 2026. My lips curve faintly at the calendar that hangs awkwardly on the wall. I don't bother to straighten it. She always likes the house looking perfect, so…[...]
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Banana Boy
Banana Boy, Black Boy, bright like the day, and as settled as nighttime on an old forgotten road. Always on that sill, never leaving, never sleeping, never anything but passed…[...]
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The Storm Heir of Jupiter
Vaelyra was always the quiet girl on Jupiter.Not because she wanted to be.But because Jupiter was loud enough for everyone else.In the floating storm cities of Zephyria, where silver ships…[...]
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Concrete Skyscrapers
Distant, alone, independent—those are the words I would use to describe myself.I suppose I have felt this way for as long as I can remember, though I didn’t always have…[...]
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Typical Treatment
It’s busier than usual tonight. The event room is booked out by awedding party and the diner is packed. Madi has five tables, which isoverwhelming but worth the money. The…[...]
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Beautifully Broken
Trigger Warning *This story contains suicidal ideations, mentions of self-harm, mental health, and grief.* 1 year, 8 months, and 17 days.I hovered my pen above my journal before setting it…[...]
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File name: Caelum Altera. Case number: 2085 1141513151225
Trigger Warning: Sensitive topics. Mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse, references substance abuse, and mental health topics. There’s a quiet click, and the quiet hum from the internal mechanism…[...]
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The Architect
They say we grieve to the depth that we love, but how do I grieve someone who isn't dead?***Xavier and I met in our freshman year of college. He was…[...]
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A Curse of Pleasantries
The front door hung crooked on its hinges, but it kept the wind and rain out so Maggie supposed it worked well enough. She grabbed the basked off the counter…[...]
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The Distance Between Staying and Leaving
The mornings all begin the same, and this morning is no different. The room feels too still, like even the air is tired, and before I’m fully awake, I can…[...]
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Hidden Fears
The Last Unicorn. An interesting name for a tavern and inn, but certainly one to be remembered. Perhaps it was the warm wood walls that rose from the stone foundation,…[...]
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Wistfully Willing
The sealed envelope taunted me from across the room as I sat at the foot of my bed, knees held tightly to my chest. Several memories had passed since I…[...]
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To Be Loved
“Honey, you’re a mess,” Madam Lian said. Lipstick smeared the right corner of her tooth. She motioned for her to come closer, Lian’s finger wet with spit as she wiped…[...]
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The Wake, and After
Note: Sensitive content: contains depiction of death. When she was very small, Tabatha Presenza saw death for the first time. She saw it as a wisp hovering just above Nonno…[...]
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Bad Rubbish
Trigger Note: Contains themes of grief, death, bullying, and mental health. Well, it’s weird I suppose; not knowing how to feel. Sadness, a welling of empathy from my chest, regrets;…[...]
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Underground Words
After a long night traveling, we’ve finally made it to my grandmother’s house in New York. I’m staying over for the week since the hotels me and my friends were…[...]
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Family Dinner
Jared looked at his son, Bobby, subtly in his peripherals. They sat next to each other at the breakfast bar, his son‘s cereal untouched. Oh I know this look, Jared…[...]
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If the End of the World Could Talk
My name is Sage Duperior, and I once lived at the End of the World. At least, that’s what they call Venice, Louisiana, the last pit-stop before entering into an…[...]
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Fini Flight
Fini FlightTigger Warning:Suicide, Violence, Swearing"It's like flying."She said as I peered down at the two dead bodies laying on the ground below me. I was one of the four who…[...]
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